12 September, 2014

KASHMIR FLOODING

WHITHER
MUSLIM CHIVALRY?

Granted
that the devastating flash floods of Kashmir caught the administration
unawares, throwing off communication lines, vehicles, ambulances etc. The CM
did not have a government as the capital city itself was paralyzed. Granted
also that the splendid job the defence forces did was due largely to their
preparedness and availability of appropriate relief and rescue
infrastructure.

But how does one explain the following:

a. Nearly all the doctors and para-medic staff of several hospitals - including
that of the largest maternity hospital of Srinagar, the LD Hospital - abandoned
their posts and ran off leaving the patients alone

b. From executives, to officers, to workers of the government, the
establishment did not act proactively and kept awaiting orders. From every
account the government employees just vanished. Could the police, home guards,
civil employees in their individual capacity not have acted to rescue people on
their own?

c. Of what use was the state’s disaster management apparatus?

d. Much worse and far more shameful: rampant thieving and robbing is going on
right now, even as the rescued flood affected people abandoned their homes and
shops

Is this the character of the community that lays its claims on the Taj Mahal,
the Mughal saltanat, the Persian Empire, the 1000-year rule over India, the
“best people” Allah created for the humanity?

Fellow Muslim friends, think. Compare with the character of the people and of
the communities that are thriving today. And then ponder this assertion of Maulana
Hali:

Yes, there were stray examples of admirable heroism and chivalry. But that all
of the above happened and that such sterling examples were exceptions rather
than the rule, does bother me. Doesn’t it bother you?